Snap-hook for mail-cranes.



J. LA N HAM. n SNAP HOOK FOR MAIL GRANBS.

APPLICATION -IILED DBO.14, 1912.

`1,065,693 Patented June24,1913.

,ggg Snom/dio@ l COLUMBIA PLANOQRAPH Co..w.\sHlNa'r0N. D, c.

JAMES LANCE-IAM, OF OWING-S MILLS, MARYLAND.

SNAP-HOOK FOR, MAIL-CRANES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led December 14, 1912.

Patented J une 24, i913.

serial No. 736,805.

T0 all wiz-0m t may concern.'

Be it known that l, JAMES LANHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at @wings Mills, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snap- Hooks for Mail-Cranes, of which the following is a specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mail cranes and more particularly to a. snap or clip for securing a mail pouch thereto and my object is to provide a device of this character which will securely retain the pouch in position on the crane through all kinds of weather and which will, at the same time, enable the moving train to readily remove the pouch therefrom.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a device comprising a pair o-f yielding spring arms, one of which has a. link member pivoted thereto and the other of which is adapted to receive the end of said link member, whereby the ring member on the mail pouch may be removably retained between said arms.

A. still further object of the invention resides in providing a device which is eX- tremely simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufact-ure and one which will be very eicient and useful in operation.

With these and other objects in view, the

Ainvention consists in the novel features of characters desionate corres aondinc' artsv throughout the several views and in whichl indicates a post of the usual or any preferred type used for mail crane purposes, to thc top of which is hingedly secured the arm A. and also similarlyw secured thereto some distance below the arm A is an additional and lower arm B. Extending through the arms A and B are the eye bolts 9., the eyes of which are disposed inwardly toward one another and engaged'with these eyes are my improved snaps 3, which form the essential part of this invention. rlhis snap is formed of a strand of spring metal, bent intermediate of its ends to form an eye 4, which is engaged with the eye of the bolt 2 and the arms or sections of the bent strand of metal are brought together ust below the eye, as shown at 5, the same being welded or otherwise secured at this point. The arms continuing from this point 5 are spread outwardly and thence bent inwardly toward their lower ends, to form arcuate spring yielding arms or jaws, the free end of the one arm being bent to form an additional eye 6. The opposite arm, after being bent inwardly, adjacent its free end, is again bent outwardly and depended below the plane of the lower end of the first mentioned arm to provide a dependent lug or :finger piece 7, the provision of this inwardly bent portion and this piece 7 forming a substantial catch member for the free end of a link S, which is engaged with the eye 6 of the opposite arm.

The inwardly bent portion of the one arm, adjacent its lower end is, as stated, adapted to receive the free end of the link 8, after the latter has been passed through the usual ring 9, of a mail pouch l0, but this is only accomplished after the last mentioned arm has been sprung inwardly to allow the free end of said link to ride over the bulged portion of the dependent end 7 thereof. TNhen the link 8 is so engaged, with the ring 9, and snapped into engagement with the arm, as described, the mail pouch will be securely suspended from the crane without danger of being casually disengaged by the wind and storm. When the pouch is engaged by the engaging mechanism of a fast moving train, however, the same may be readily disengaged by the disengagement or the snapping of the link 8 from the one spring arm of the device.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improved device, the operation thereof will be readily understood and it will be seen that I have provided an improved mail bag securing means which will positively retain the mail bag or pouch in position to be engaged by moving trains at all times and which will also prevent the pouch from being casually disengaged by heavy Winds and storms. It Will 'further be seen that the securing means is one of aspiring-snep type which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to mann- 'fnetnre and one which will be Very 'etlieient und useful in operation.

lilfhile I have particularly described the elements best adopted to perform the funetions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in `form7 proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or snerificing any ot' the principles of the invention.

Having thus described t-his invention, what I claim is A device of the eless described eonsisting` of n single strand of resilient inetel bent intermediate of its ends to form en eye, the sections of the stra-nd et the lower terminal of the eye being` disposed in Contact. with one another and secured together for a short portion of their length, the sections of the strand Continuing from the Contacting portions thereof being ontspreed and areuately bent in opposite direetions to form spring` arms, the one terminal otl seid strand. being bent to Aform n second eye, the other terminal thereof being` bent inwardly and thence outwardly to form e Catch disposed in a plane above the plaine oit' seid seeon d eye, and :L closed link engaged With the second eye :md adapted for engagement with seid catch, the extreme free end of the arm heving,- the eeteh thereon being disposed below tl e plane of seid second eye to form e linger piece thereon.

n testimony whereof l hereunto etlix my signet-nre in the presenee of two witnessesu JAR/MGS LANlflAili/l.

liitnesses EDWARD LANHAM, WALTER N. Rowe.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by laddressing they Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, I?. C. 

